BOURBONNAIS — There was plenty of hype surrounding the Chicago Bears as they trotted out onto the training-camp field for the first time this year.

Everybody felt it.

“There’s no doubt,” second-year head coach Marc Trestman said, “there’s a certain buzz around the community for this team.”

The Bears went all out to improve their offense two off-seasons ago, and they did, finishing second in the league in scoring last season while providing enough excitement to keep fans clamoring for more. Then they went out this past off-season and put the revamping of an aging and injury-plagued defense on top of the priority list.

All eyes will be watching to see whether the defense can regain its aggressive dominance, the offense can continue to grow into a juggernaut, and this coaching staff is the right fit for a Super Bowl contender.

All systems appeared to be “Go” on Friday.

Allen is in the middle of it all, coming in with Willie Young and Lamar Houston to shore up the D-line, the weakest unit for the Bears last year. Each shined on the first day of workouts and each expects to step out even more when the pads are added Sunday.

“It’s about getting ready for September right now,” Allen said. “It’ll be a whole another level in pads.”

The Bears went out and drafted cornerback Kyle Fuller with their first pick this year, and he, too, looked to fit the part. Fuller had an interception 20 minutes into practice, and he finished with two picks and plenty of heads-up defense by the time the 2 ½-hour session was over.

“I came right in and now I already feel like I belong here,” Fuller said. “It’s my job to step up and make a difference every play every play. If I can do that, then I’ll be out there when it counts. Heck, we all know, all eyes are on us these days.”

All eyes were watching from the second they stepped out onto the field, and they will be for the next three weeks as players battle it out for starting positions and for roster spots on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University.

Page 2 of 2 - With everything under a microscope, there are no chances to take a break. Day 1 included.

Here is a timeline of some of the most anticipated “firsts” of camp that either brought the fans to their feet or quieted everything down for a brief moment:

9:19 a.m.: No matter which quarterback is running the show, the defense dominates the offense in the initial 11-on-11 scrimmage. Fuller picks off his first pass as a Bear, and the D has two INTs and a stripped ball in the first 12 plays from scrimmage.

9:49: QB Jay Cutler throws a strike to Brandon Marshall for the first big play by the offense.

10:16: Former NIU QB Jordan Lynch, who has looked solid so far, drops a pass.

10:54: Defensive lineman-turned-linebacker Shea McClellin looks completely befuddled and confused about where he should be for the first (and, most likely, not the last) time in camp.

10:58: Right after DE Young turns on his beast mode and disrupts everything on three of four plays, new receiver Marquess Wilson makes a nice catch before coughing up his first fumble as a Bear.

11:05: Eric Weems, emblazoned in a heated battle for the returnman spot, and McMannis, just scratching for a roster spot, have a brief but uneventful scuffle, with plenty of shoves but no punches.

11:32: The first practice of camp ends. There was some good with the bad all day, but the questions continue to rain down. The actual rain has stopped, however.

Trestman and the rest of the coaching staff hope the answers will begin to unfold as well.

“There’s always a sense of urgency every day. These are precious days,” Trestman said. “There’s a sense of urgency to get as much done each and every day. ... We’re as urgent as we can possibly be. We want answers, too.”